


The Set-Up

by Joe_Reaves



Category: Empire Records (1995)
Genre: Angst, Blind Date, Deception, Established Relationship, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-10
Updated: 2010-04-10
Packaged: 2017-10-08 20:39:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/79312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joe_Reaves/pseuds/Joe_Reaves
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AJ and Corey try to set their friends up  on a blind date but it doesn't go as they expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Set-Up

Corey nudged AJ and nodded towards Joe's office. He grinned back and knocked on the door.

"Joe, can I have a word?" he asked.

Joe smiled at him. "What's up, AJ?"

The young man shuffled nervously. "Well, I have this friend. He's really nice and I think you'd like him." He blushed a little. "And well, Corey and I, we thought maybe you could meet him, for dinner or something, see if you hit it off..."

Joe blinked and then laughed out loud. "You're trying to set me up on a blind date?" He looked past AJ to where Corey was chatting with Lucas. "What the hell, why not? OK, when and where?"

"You'll do it?" AJ squeaked in surprise. He hadn't thought it would be this simple. "Great. Corey made a reservation at the new steakhouse in town. 7pm. The table's booked in her name. And, hey, actually wear the tie instead of putting it in your pocket."

"AJ!" Joe growled. "Go on, get out of here. Work!"

He laughed and shut the door, his part of the plan successfully accomplished.

\-----------

Lucas closed his cell phone and turned back to Corey. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

She sighed and put her hands on her hips. "You don't listen. I said I have a friend who would be perfect for you and you have to be at the restaurant at 7pm tonight."

"Is there any point saying no, or are you just going to nag me till I give in?" he asked. "Yes, that's what I thought - OK, OK I'll go. But if the date is a disaster, I'm blaming you."

\-----------------

AJ and Corey ducked down behind a pillar in the bar as they waited for Lucas to arrive. Joe had got there ten minutes earlier and was staring at his watch in annoyance.

"I swear if he doesn't show I'm going to strangle him," Corey hissed. "He promised he'd come."

"Hey, there he is."

They watched as Lucas smiled at the hostess and let her show him to the table. He froze in shock and Joe stood up. They were too far away to hear what was being said but Joe smiled at Lucas and spoke to him. Lucas backed up, shaking his head. Joe said something else and then Lucas punched him, sending him sprawling to the floor, before running out of the restaurant.

They looked at one another in shock.

"What the hell ...? I'm going to kill him!" Corey shrieked.

Joe said something to the waitress, brushing off her assistance, dropped a couple of bills on the table and then left, his shoulders slumped in misery.

"Oh my God," AJ said softly. "What did we do?"

Corey smacked him on the shoulder. "We didn't do anything, Lucas did. Come on, we have to find him and find out what the hell is going on."

AJ drove them over to Lucas' apartment, relieved to see the battered bike outside. They ran up the stairs and knocked on his door.

"Lucas, come on, it's us. You have to let us in," he called.

Lucas opened the door and glared at them. "You set me up with Joe? What kind of sick joke are you two playing? Damn it, I lived with him from when I was thirteen, he's like my father or something. And now I find out he was lusting after me? That's just ..." He shuddered. "There aren't words for how sick that is. It's perverted. I can't believe you were trying to get us into bed together."

"What?" Corey gasped. "You don't mean that. Joe's sweet and he loves you, it's obvious. I'm sure he didn't like you that way back when you were a kid, but come on, you stole $9000 and he didn't even fire you. I thought you'd be good for him."

Lucas glared at her. "Well, I guess I'm fired now. I punched him, not that he didn't deserve it. Sick bastard. Get the hell out of here, both of you. I don't want to talk to you right now."

Before either of them could say anything else, he slammed the door in their faces.

They stared at the door for a second before Corey started tugging AJ towards the stairs again.

"We need to check on Joe, make sure he's OK," she insisted.

"This is such a bad idea," AJ grumbled. "We've got to be his least favourite people right now."

"We owe it to him, AJ, this is all our fault," she wailed. "He's going to be so hurt."

AJ reluctantly followed her down to the car and drove her to the store.

"Why are we here? He'll be at home, like Lucas was," she complained.

"No, he won't," AJ insisted. "His drums are here, so this is where he'll be. Besides his car's right over there."

They sneaked in through the back door and could immediately see the light coming from Joe's office. AJ pushed Corey behind him.

"Let me do this, Corey," he insisted. Knocking on the door, he pushed it open slowly and groaned. Joe was slumped behind the desk, an empty glass in his hand and an open bottle of whisky in front of him. "Joe..."

"Get out," he slurred, his voice hoarse. "This is all your damn fault."

"Joe, we're sorry," AJ said. "We were just trying to help. We didn't think he'd react like this."

"That's your problem," Joe growled. "You never think. Now get the hell out of my shop." He hurled the glass at the wall, narrowly missing AJ, who hurriedly ducked out of the office.

"This is worse than we thought," AJ told Corey. "We're in so much trouble here. He's drunk."

The back door flew open and Gina ran in with Berko following behind her, hurriedly buttoning his shirt as he ran.

"Oh, it's only you guys," she sighed in relief. "I thought we had burglars. What happened, did you break something?"

"Joe threw something at AJ," Corey said.

"Joe's here? Why?" Gina asked. "I thought he went home hours ago."

"We set him up on a blind date with Lucas," AJ admitted. "We were trying to help get them together. But Lucas freaked out when he saw Joe was his date, and Lucas punched him and then went home. We followed him but he yelled at us and now Joe's drunk and they both hate us and each other." He looked at Gina miserably. "We messed up. We shouldn't have interfered."

Gina looked at them both and then started giggling hysterically. Berko practically had to hold her up as she gasped for breath. He shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe you tried to get in the middle of something like that. You could have totally ruined their friendship, you know."

"We did!" Corey shrieked. "And you're just laughing at us. Help us fix it.

"Haven't you done enough for one night?" Gina gasped. "Besides, there's nothing to fix." She raised her voice. "Get out here, Joe."

They turned towards the office as the door opened. Joe leant against the doorframe, laughing softly. "You're no fun, Gina."

"How long were you planning on keeping this going?" she asked.

"At least till morning," Lucas' voice came from the back door of the shop. "Gina spoiled our fun?"

AJ and Corey were looking between Joe and Lucas like spectators in a tennis match, shock etched on their faces.

"Yeah," Joe said. "I think she thinks we made our point."

\---------------

Back to the beginning ...

Joe looked up at the knock on the door. AJ was stood there looking a little nervous; he was clearly up to something.

"Joe, can I have a word?" he asked.

Joe smiled at him reassuringly. "What's up, AJ?"

AJ was shifting from foot to foot, almost bouncing with nervous energy, just like when he'd asked Joe for advice on how to tell Corey he loved her. "Well, I have this friend. He's really nice and I think you'd like him." The kid blushed and Joe knew there was definitely more going on than AJ was telling him. "And well, Corey and I, we thought maybe you could meet him, for dinner or something, see if you hit it off..."

Joe blinked in shock and then laughed out loud. Lucas was going to love this. He really couldn't believe that his employees were so oblivious to what was going on right underneath their noses. "You're trying to set me up on a blind date?" He looked past AJ to where Corey was chatting with Lucas and was hard-pressed not to let AJ know that he'd figured their plan out. Well, if the two of them wanted to try interfering in his love life, he'd teach them a little lesson. "What the hell, why not?" he said. "OK, when and where?"

"You'll do it?" AJ squeaked. He'd obviously expected to have to put a lot more work into talking Joe into it. "Great. Corey made a reservation at the new steakhouse in town. 7pm. The table's booked in her name. And, hey, actually wear the tie instead of putting it in your pocket."

"AJ!" Joe growled in exasperation. "Go on, get out of here. Work!"

As soon as the door shut behind him he pulled out his cell phone and hit the speed dial.

"Lucas, don't let on who you're talking to," he said hurriedly. "Corey is about to set you up on a blind date. Agree to it. AJ already asked me. I have plans for the two of them." He rang off and then called the restaurant. He and Lucas had eaten there the week before and he thought he could talk them into co-operating, for a small fee.

\-----------

Lucas closed his cell phone and turned back to Corey, pasting an innocent expression on his face. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

She sighed and pouted at him. "You don't listen. I said I have a friend who would be perfect for you and you have to be at the restaurant at 7pm tonight."

Lucas bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself grinning. Sometimes his friends were so stupid. "Is there any point saying no, or are you just going to nag me till I give in?" he asked. "Yes, that's what I thought - OK, OK I'll go. But if the date is a disaster I'm blaming you." He turned and walked off before he could give the game away by laughing. He couldn't wait to find out what Joe was up to.

\--------------

Joe and Lucas met up at home and Joe explained his plan.

"You're evil," Lucas exclaimed. "I love it." He kissed Joe lightly. "I can't believe they haven't realised we're together yet. It's not like we make a big effort to hide it."

They both dressed up smartly and Joe set off first. He parked nearby and walked to the restaurant.

"Good evening, I think there's a table for two booked in the name of Mason," he told the hostess.

She smiled up at him. "That's right, Mr Reaves. I've spoken with the waitresses. They know what you're planning and we've reserved you another table tomorrow night as well." She showed him to his table. "I can't understand how your employees think you're still single. You and Mr. Miller make such a sweet couple."

He laughed and thanked her. Now he just had to wait for Lucas to arrive. He made a show of checking his watch every couple of minutes and at the same time surreptitiously scanned the restaurant until he spotted AJ and Corey hiding behind a pillar in the bar area.

Lucas waited ten minutes and then drove his bike to the restaurant, practically bouncing through the door and smiling at the hostess.

"Your audience is in the bar," she told him as she showed him to the table.

When he saw Joe he gasped and stepped back, watching Joe try to keep a straight face.

"You're a total brat," Joe told him softly as he stood up. He took a step towards Lucas. "I swear if you actually hurt me, I'm going to fire you, just remember that."

Lucas shook his head. "You wouldn't dare." He pulled his arm back and punched Joe, wincing as his hand collided with his jaw with more force than he had meant to. He ducked his head, mouthed 'sorry', and then ran out of the restaurant.

He sped back to his apartment and then waited to see what would happen next.

The hostess helped Joe to his feet and he dropped a couple of bills on the table.

"Thanks, you were great," he said, rubbing his jaw gently. He slumped miserably and stomped out of the restaurant.

He was fairly confident that they would go after Lucas first so he didn't rush back. He set up the scene in his office then waited for Lucas to call him.

\-------

The first Lucas knew that he had visitors was when someone started banging frantically on his door.

"Lucas, come on, it's us. You have to let us in," AJ shouted

He took a deep breath, composed himself, and then opened the door. "You set me up with Joe? What kind of sick joke are you two playing? Damn it, I lived with him from when I was thirteen, he's like my father or something. And now I find out he was lusting after me? That's just ..." He covered a laugh at the look on their faces with a theatrical shudder of disgust. "There aren't words for how sick that is. It's perverted. I can't believe you were trying to get us into bed together."

"What?" Corey gasped. "You don't mean that. Joe's sweet and he loves you, it's obvious. I'm sure he didn't like you that way back when you were a kid, but come on, you stole $9000 and he didn't even fire you. I thought you'd be good for him."

Lucas glared at her, slightly annoyed at her presumption. If he really hadn't been in love with him, Joe could have been badly hurt because of their interference. "Well, I guess I'm fired now. I punched him, not that he didn't deserve it. Sick bastard. Get the hell out of here, both of you. I don't want to talk to you right now."

Before either of them could say anything else he slammed the door in their faces. He walked over to the window and peered out. When he saw them getting into AJ's car he picked up his phone.

"Joe. They just left here. They're on their way," he told him. "I'll see you later."

\----------

Joe turned the glass around in his hand as he waited. He'd half emptied a bottle of whisky earlier and now he just needed his audience to arrive.

He heard them bickering before the knock on the door, so he wasn't surprised when AJ stuck his head around it.

"Joe .." the kid said softly.

"Get out," he slurred hoarsely, making out he'd drunk the half bottle, when in fact he hadn't touched a drop. "This is all your damn fault."

"Joe, we're sorry," AJ apologised. "We were just trying to help. We didn't think he'd react like this."

"That's your problem," Joe growled. "You never think. Now get the hell out of my shop." He aimed carefully and threw the glass, safely avoiding AJ, while making him duck out of the office hurriedly.

He heard the back door slam open, and then Gina's voice as she spoke to AJ and Corey. Grabbing his phone again he called Lucas. "Gina's here. She's not going to let us keep this up all night. You better come over."

He poured himself a drink and sipped it carefully until he heard her call for him. He opened the door and leaned against the frame. He was laughing softly but he smiled warmly at her. "You're no fun, Gina."

"How long were you planning on keeping this going?" she queried.

"At least till morning," Lucas' voice came from the back door of the shop. "Gina spoiled our fun?"

AJ and Corey were looking between Joe and Lucas like spectators in a tennis match, shock etched on their faces.

"Yeah," Joe said. "I think she thinks we made our point."

He held his hand out and Lucas came over to lean against him. Joe wrapped an arm tightly around him and then glared at AJ and Corey.

"Don't ever try and interfere in my love life again," he told them. "It's none of your damn business."

"You're ... but ... he... I thought," Corey stammered.

"Open your eyes, Corey," Gina snapped. "They've been together for the last six months."

"You told her and you didn't tell me?" AJ asked Lucas.

"Well, we didn't exactly tell them," Lucas admitted. "They kind of walked in on us one night after we'd closed up, but we haven't been hiding it. And you could have asked how I felt about Joe rather than just setting us up like that."

"This was our way of teaching you a lesson," Joe told them. "If you ever try something like that again, I'll fire you instead. Consider this your only warning. Now go home. And Gina, Berko, sorry we interrupted you're evening. Get back to whatever you were doing. I'll clean the glass up and lock up behind us."

"And Berko," Lucas added. "You missed a button somewhere, your shirt's all crooked." He grinned when Berko looked down. He laughed and flipped Lucas off.

"We're out of here. Have fun guys, but try and keep the noise down. Some of us have to sleep, you know," Berko teased them.

AJ and Corey looked at the four of them and shrugged, leaving before Joe could realise they were still there and yell at them again.

Joe dumped the broken glass in the bin and then pulled Lucas close. Kissing him softly, he smiled.

"Leave the bike here; you can pick it up tomorrow. Lets go home, love."


End file.
